North Korea dropped anti-South Korean “propaganda” across the border overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, according to Seoul’s military, prompting one province to issue an alert demanding its residents to stay at home.
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“Unidentified objects, believed to be North Korean propaganda leaflets, have been identified in the Gyeonggi-Gangwon border area and the military is implementing measures,” the South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South (JCS).
“Citizens should refrain from any outdoor activities, not come into contact with unknown objects and report them to the nearest military base or the police,” she said in a statement sent to the AFP.
Late in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, the province of Gyeonggi (northwest) sent a text message alert calling on its residents to follow the same instructions.
Since the Korean War (1950-1953) ended in an armistice and not a peace treaty, North and South remain technically at war and are separated by a heavily fortified border including the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
South Korean activists sometimes release balloons carrying propaganda leaflets against Kim Jong Un’s regime and money intended for people living north of the border.
These shipments have long drawn Pyongyang’s ire, likely because it fears that an influx of outside information into the tightly controlled society could pose a threat to the Kim regime.
On Sunday, North Korea warned of a response in a statement published by the official KCNA agency.
“Retaliatory measures will be (…) taken against the frequent distribution of leaflets and other waste by the DRC (Republic of Korea, editor’s note) near the border areas,” declared Kim Kang Il, vice minister of defense, using the acronym of South Korea’s official name.
“Mounds of waste and rubbish will soon be scattered across the border areas and inside the DRC, and it will become clear what efforts will be needed to eliminate them,” Mr. Kim said.
